Unconditional Love
by damonxelenaforever
Summary: Since Elena's transformation into becoming a vampire, all of her emotions have been hightened. A new craving for blood and an unrequited love for Damon Salvatore. Not long after her transformation, Elena has gained new feelings for the eldest Salvatore. Will her former decision about choosing Stefan change? Will her feelings for Damon grow stronger? Who will Elena choose?
1. Chapter 1

**UNCONDITIONAL LOVE**

**Summary: **Since Elena's transformation into becoming a vampire, all of her emotions have been hightened. A new craving for blood and an unrequited love for Damon Salvatore. Not long after her transformation, Elena has gained new feelings for the eldest Salvatore. Will her former decision about choosing Stefan change? Will her feelings for Damon grow stronger? Who will Elena choose?

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Unanswered Feelings**

There are nights when I lie awake in bed because I always have a feeling someone is out there just waiting. Waiting to strike and I know I'm not safe. Then there are those restless nights when I toss and turn; and I wake up in a cold sweat. My heart is racing against my chest. Beating loud as it rings in my ears. Dreams turn into nightmares. I soon imagine myself in a cold, dark hallway. The silence of my own breathing fills the air, but I am not scared. I have this new hunger; a thirst for wanting something I never imagined wanting. Blood. The warm blood running through my vains, not mine, but of innocent people. Damon's words ran through my mind. His words about teaching me the proper way to be a vampire. What was the 'proper way' exactly? To hunt and kill innocent people? I never wanted that, but my vampire nature doesn't care. This new side of me longs for the kill. Just thinking about it tortures me. I am ready to prove that I am not weak, and that I am strong. Maybe I'm not strong enough to be out in the world on my own, but hopefully with Damon as my teacher, I'll learn to be strong.

"Where are we going Damon?" I asked him as we walked out of my house. I felt bad for hurting Matt, almost killing him actually. "I am going to show you what it's like to really have fun." Damon smirked. I was unfazed at that moment since I knew Damon's way of having fun was playing around with the sorority girls up at the college. I wondered if he was going to take me there. We got into his car and he drove off down the street. "I just think a Frat party would be fun." he said, parking in front of the boarding house. "Why are we here?" I asked. "Don't ask questions, just put these on and meet me here in fifteen minutes." I watched him as he got out of the car and I reluctantly followed after him. Looking down at the bag in my hands, I wondered what was in it. _I hope it's not some slutty looking outfit._ I thought to myself as I entered the bathroom in Stefan's room. I locked the door behind me and pulled out the contents from the bag. "Yep, just as I suspected." I mumbled to myself. I did as I was told and put on the outfit. I felt uncomfortable and just by looking at it, I didn't feel _hot_. I fixed my hair, put on some make up, and walked out of the bathroom.

I went downstairs as I readjusted the dress and saw Stefan at the bottom of the staircase. "Where are you going?" he asked me. "Why are you concerned?" I asked him. "I just want you to be safe because wherever Damon's taking you-" "He's not going to hurt me Stefan." I interrupted him. I walked past him and walked out of the house. I didn't want to deal with Stefan right now. I know he's looking out for me, but is it really necessary to be worried about me when I feel perfectly fine around Damon? "Well you look stunning." Damon flashed a smile my way as I rolled my eyes. "Let's just get out of here, ok?" I watched as he gave me a slow nod and we got in his car. Throughout the whole entire ride, we were both silent. There were so many questions running through my mind, but I figured that I'd ask him later. He parked in front of a Fraternity House where there was a huge party going on. "Welcome to college Elena." He opened the door for me after he got out. I stepped out of his car as he closed it behind me and held out his hand. I took his hand as he led me up the steps and entered the house.

The first thing that came into my mind was blood, but I held back from attempting to kill them. I looked at Damon for any signs on what I should do. He simply told me to: "Enjoy the buffet." Seconds later, I was alone. At first I couldn't comprehend the words he had spoken to me. There was a lot of people; I had no idea where to begin. I felt the veins under my eyes begin to form and my teeth aching with the need to bite. My mouth watered and all I could hear were the pounding hearts of the college students surrounding me. There were people drunk enough so that I would attack without being noticed. I had to pick my first victim and fast since my hunger was now taking over. A young college boy passed by me and I was glad it was dark. In just a few quick seconds, his blood ran down my throat. I drank enough, but not enough to kill him. I compelled him and moved onto another victim. As the night continued on, I lost track of how many people I have bitten but I was having a great time. Satisfied, I saw Damon dancing with a few college girls. Just the sight of him dancing with them made my heart break. I shook the thought out of my head and decided that it was best to get some fresh air.

As I waited for Damon by his car, I couldn't stop thinking about the way he looked at me when he smiled. Sure it was the same smirk he gave me when I was human, but it was different. Just a little bit different. I had no intention of being jealous, but now that I think about it, was I jealous? Jealous of the fact that he was dancing with those girls. What was wrong with me? Once more, I shook the thought out of my head. I couldn't think about that right now. "Did you have a great time?" Damon asked as I looked at him. "Yeah, I had a blast. Can we go now?" Damon nodded as I got in his car and waited for him to start the car. He got in and he looked at me. "Is everything ok?" I could see it in his eyes that he was searching for an answer, especially on my face. I swallowed and gave him a quick nod. The whole ride back was just as silent. I got out of the car as soon as he parked it in the driveway. I headed upstairs as I took off my coat and headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind me. What was happening to me? I splashed some cold water on my face, but that only helped with the surface. Not with what was happening inside. Downstairs I could hear Stefan and Damon talking. I just wanted to shut out the outside world. I took a quick shower and changed into some comfortable clothing, then went to bed. I figured sleep would help. It didn't.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 - Missing Link**

Morning came and I sighed. Yesterday had been a fun night, but seemed like the worst night. So many emotions ran through my mind that day. Jealousy, anger, and maybe a little sadness. I've felt feelings I've never felt before, feelings I haven't felt with Stefan. With Damon, you expect the unexpected and I always seem to enjoy those better. But the decision I made before I became a vampire won't change. My heart belongs to Stefan. "Good morning." I sat up in my bed and I saw Stefan standing at the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. "How did you sleep?" he asked. I shook my head in reply as he came over and held me in his arms. I felt safe. Moments later I headed downstairs with Stefan and was met face to face with Damon. "Can we practice vampire training now?" I looked at Stefan as he nodded. "Won't you need human blood?" Damon asked. I went out the door, ignoring every single word that he had said. I didn't want to talk to him at all. I was planning to avoid him for as long as possible. Just until I am able to figure out why he's messing with my head. _Maybe Damon's just being Damon. _I thought to myself.

Stefan and I went into the woods, well far away from the town and Damon of course. I also wanted to avoid his cockiness. I wasn't going to let him ruin my day, especially my morning. Today was going to be the day I spend time with Stefan. Just the two of us. Vampire training didn't go well as I hoped it would be. I was too focused on Damon. I was constantly thinking about him and that was distracting me. The sad part is: Stefan noticed. "What's on your mind?" he asked me. Stefan was always concerned about me. He cared about me as much as I cared for him and Damon. "I don't want to talk about it Stefan." I said. I didn't want to mention Damon's name because talking about him wouldn't help with the situation. In my defense, it was best to keep my emotions to myself. Especially those about Damon. "Let's just take a break, okay?" I asked him as he nodded. I started to walk back towards the direction of the boarding house and turned to see if Stefan was following me, he wasn't. I wondered to myself if he knew that I was hiding something. "What are you not telling me Elena?" he asked. "Can we work this out later?" I wanted to get out of the forest. I wasn't comfortable with talking about Damon here in the woods.

"Tell me Elena." he said. I knew he wasn't going to move unless he got a direct answer. "Is it normal to feel jealous Stefan? Anger? Maybe sadness?" I asked him. "Your feelings are hightened Elena. You have to control them." he said. "What if I can't Stefan? Last night, I felt jealousy. I felt anger and sadness. When I was with Damon last night, I saw him dancing with a girl-" "He always dances-" "I'm not done." I interrupted him. "-and I, I felt jealous. I don't know why. I mean, I've never felt this way before towards anyone. I wanted... I wanted to kill that girl, but if I did, I would be guilty afterwards. I didn't hurt her. I can't look at Damon the same way since that night and I'm afraid that you might be jealous because.." I trailed off as I looked down. "You feel something for him." Stefan said. "You accepted him for who he is and he's taken care of you when I wasn't there. Elena, it's okay to feel this way." "No it's not Stefan. I love you, not him." I said. "Maybe you're having a hard time accepting the fact that you do. I'm going to let you think for a while. I'll see you at home." After that, he immediately left. I saw him go, but Stefan _was_ right. I needed time to think.

I wasn't sure if my choice about choosing Stefan was correct. Maybe I did love Damon and even if I admitted it, I doubted that he'd believe me. Yet, after everything that he and I have been through, he was there for me during those dark times and I was there for him. When I started seeing those images about the time we first met and the time that he told me he loved me, I didn't understand it at first. Why did Damon keep those things from me? Maybe he was expecting me to find out and make my final decision. I went straight to Mystic Grill. I knew that I'd find him there. I had told myself earlier that I wasn't going to face him, but better now than never. I entered the grill and saw him sitting at the bar drinking bourbon. "What are you doing here?" Damon turned to me as I stood next to him. "I have something important to talk to you about." I said. "Let's face it Elena. You're just here so you can accuse me of something that I did wrong, right?" He stood up facing me. "Well, I'm not going to listen to your crap anymore. You can talk to Stefan about it." he said. "Damon," I paused. "Save it, Elena. Run home to Stefan so you don't have to deal with me anymore." I watched him leave, but I was hesitant on whether or not I should follow him.

"Are you positive that he said that to you?" Caroline asked me. I nodded, "Yeah." "What happened at that party last night?" Bonnie asked. I shrugged, "I just saw him dancing with a girl and I got jealous. Then we went home and Stefan started talking with Damon. I didn't really listen in on their conversation." We were all at my house in my room. I didn't want to be at the boarding house because I had a feeling Damon would be there. "Maybe he's just upset." Caroline said. "Probably." I sighed. "But Care, how would you know that?" Bonnie asked. "Think about it. From the beginning, Damon wanted to be with Elena. He didn't even care about me at all." Caroline told us. "Look, he may have feelings for me but that's not going to make me change my decision about choosing Stefan." I said. "Well, you might regret saying that." Bonnie said as Caroline nodded in agreement. I looked at them, confused. I wondered what Bonnie meant by that. Did they agree with Stefan? There was no way that my feelings for Damon have been magnified. I didn't want to believe it, but I had to. Eventually my friends left and Stefan arrived to talk to me. We talked for a few hours and I told him that I was going to stay at my house for a while until everything is sorted out. I bid him good bye and went to take a shower. As I turned out the lights, I heard the caw of a crow outside my window. A sound I haven't heard in a long time, but I had a feeling _he_ was watching over me. _He_ cared about me and that I was having these feelings for _him_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 - Decisions, decisions**

As the sun shone through my bedroom window that morning, I couldn't help but wonder if I would be able to get through this day. I wanted to avoid Damon as much as possible. Sure my feelings for him have been heightened, but they were real. They felt _real_. As much as I wanted to deny them, I couldn't. I just had to face them and I had to face him. I thought about what happened at Mystic Grill and the words he had said to me. Now I'm not sure if I should face him or not, but I wasn't going to back down. Not now. Eventually I forced myself out of bed and got dressed. I headed downstairs, but something wasn't right. The house was entirely empty, but then I figured Jeremy must have gone out to see Matt or Bonnie. I got in my car and drove to the boarding house. I went over the things that I was going to say to Damon. I wasn't going to let him push me away from him. I parked my car in the driveway, then walked up to the front door. The door immediately opened as soon as I got there. "I heard you coming. What do you want?" Damon asked. "Can we talk inside?" I asked him. He moved aside as I entered his house. Stefan wasn't around which meant that Damon and I were actually alone for once.

No watching eyes, no one having to interrupt our conversation, and even though being with Damon alone was such a relief, I had a feeling something wasn't right. I was about to ask him where Stefan was, but I stopped myself. This wasn't the right time to be talking about Stefan. I had to put all my thoughts and concentration on Damon. This was all about Damon and I; and where we stand. "When we went to that college party the other night, I felt all sorts of emotions. Jealousy, anger, and sadness. I have never felt those things before until that night. The moment I saw you dancing with that girl, I wanted to harm her. Yet, if I did, I'd feel guilty about it and I don't think I'd be able to live with that feeling. So I let it go. Then I tried talking to you at Mystic Grill yesterday and the tone in your voice scared me. About my decision," I paused for a moment. "I choose you." Damon looked at me, having a puzzled look on his face. "You do?" he asked. I nodded, and then he reached out to caress my cheek. He was inching towards my face and I felt my heart begin to race. Then I felt myself leaning in and just a few seconds later, I felt my lips against his. It was passionate, real. I've kissed Damon before, but it was never like this. This kiss was different than before.

I pushed Damon against the wall; my lips never left his. He moved his lips to my neck and my breathing quickened. Soon after, everything was just a blur. I awoke hours later in a bed. Damon's bed. I sat up and got out. I put on Damon's clothes and looked out the window. It was suddenly dark outside. Was it already evening? How long have I been here? I asked myself. "Glad to see you're awake." I heard Damon's voice behind me. I turned around and faced him. I admired his chiseled body; it was perfect, like the body of a god. My eyes met his and they were a bright blue. "What time is it?" I asked him. "Six." he replied. "Jer's probably worried about me. I have to-" "I called him and told him you should spend the night here. He brought over some clothes for you to wear." he said, holding out a bag towards my direction. I took it from him and looked at him again. "What happened?" I was still a bit dazed. I had no idea what happened, but the last thing I remembered was kissing Damon. "Well long story short, we had sex and you _loved_ it." he smirked. "Don't worry about Stefan. He was out with Caroline." he added. Caroline? Were they becoming friends now? "Why?" I asked. He shrugged and walked towards the direction of the bathroom. "Make yourself at home Elena. You know where the blood bags are." he smiled, then closed the door behind him after entering.

I never imagined that the kiss would go that far, but that got me wondering. I looked at the bag again and checked the contents. I didn't have just one pair of clothes to wear, I had multiple. Did Damon want me to stay here for more than just a night? Is that why Stefan's been hanging out with Caroline? What did Damon and Stefan talk about? Many more questions ran through my mind, but I decided to let it go. I walked out of Damon's room and headed downstairs. I walked into the basement and went to the freezer where the blood bags were. I picked one up and looked at it for a moment. _Make yourself at home Elena._ Damon's words ran through my mind, over and over. What was Damon trying to imply? Did he want me to move in? I closed the freezer and began to drink from the bag. I shook my head, knowing that it was too soon to even think that. But how else would he bring me a bag with half of my closet in it. Everything made sense now. Damon _did_ want me to move in. As I ascended the stairs, I knew I was faced with difficult decision. It was to stay with Jeremy or move in with Damon. I walked into Damon's room and found Damon asleep on the bed. I never knew that he would look peaceful. I smiled, then went into the bathroom to take a shower myself. I got dressed in sweats and decided that it would be best if I slept on the couch. I took a blanket and headed downstairs into the living room, then laid down on the couch. As I laid there, I thought about the decision of moving in with Damon and sighed, drifting off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 ****–**** Choosing Damon**

The next morning morning I awoke on the couch to see a glass filled with blood in front of me. I wondered if Damon thought about me in the way I thought about him or if he was toying with my emotions. "Good morning." Damon entered the room with a smile on his face. "Morning." I said, taking a sip of the drink. I wondered if he changed but not because of me, for himself. "Sleep well?" he asked as I nodded. I finished the drink as he held out his hand to offer me another. I gave the glass to him as he turned and left the room. The door to the boarding house opened and Caroline entered with Stefan trailing behind her. She sat down next to me. "I have an idea." She said. "You, me, Stefan, and Damon should go on a double date." I simply looked at her without saying a word. Then I glanced over at Stefan who didn't show he was in agreement with her.

Damon entered the room once more and handed me the refilled glass of blood. I thanked him and took another sip. "It'll be fun." Caroline sang as I sighed. I didn't want to ruin her plans. "Fine, we'll go. When?" I asked, looking at both she and Stefan. "Tonight at six. Let's me at the grill." She smiled. Damon looked at me and I knew that he was please with the idea of going on a double date, especially with someone like Caroline. They have to get past their differences one day. Caroline left me alone with Damon and Stefan. "Damon, can I talk with Stefan alone?" I asked him. I hope he understood what I meant by alone because I didn't want Damon listening in on the conversation between Stefan and I. Damon nodded and walked out of the house. Well, at least he didn't go upstairs. I thought to myself, but I still had a feeling Damon would know either way.

"Why are you hanging out with Caroline?" I asked Stefan. He didn't answer me when he sat down on the couch and I sat beside him. "Tell me Stefan." I said, taking his hand to let him know that I would understand no matter what. "I need someone to confide in, to be a friend Elena." He said. "There's nothing going on between Caroline and I." I nodded, believing him. I still believed that Stefan still has feelings for me, but when we broke up, I felt as if I had hurt him somehow. "I want you to know that I'll still be here for you Stefan." I told him reassuringly. I gave him a smile in hopes that he know everything will be all right between us. Later that evening, Damon and I met up with Caroline and Stefan at the grill. I couldn't believe that she had reserved us a table. It was the most polite thing to do. As soon as we sat down and began eating, Caroline began bombing Damon and I with many questions. "Caroline, I don't want to talk about my relationship with Damon right now." I told her.

She ignored me, demanding to know the secrets I've been hiding from her. There really wasn't much to tell her except for the fact that I slept with Damon and that I'm in love with him. Well, I couldn't forget about the decision about moving in with him. I still needed a lot of time to think about that. "Elena, as your best friend, I have the right to know." She said. I rolled my eyes at her, taking a bite of my food. "You don't have the right to know _everything_ Caroline." I said after swallowing. She was getting me so worked up, I was getting tired of answering her questions. I excused myself from the table and went outside. "Relax Elena, she's only watching out for you." Damon stood next to me as I looked at him. I looked up at the sky to see a bright moon shining down upon us. "I know she is, but asking questions about our relationship. Damon, even I don't know where we're headed. I don't know if these feelings between us are even real. They're real for me, but I don't know if they're real for you." He wrapped his arms around me, resting his head on mine. It reminded me of the time when Stefan and I were standing on the docks at the Gilbert lake house. Those were the precious moments I had when I was still human.

Now as a vampire, some of those memories are fading away. With Damon, I feel safe and secure. I always know that he's going to be there for me and keep me away from any harm. He turned me around so that I was facing him. I looked into his blue eyes as he held me in place. "They're real for me too Elena." He said as I leaned in and gave him a kiss on the lips. Shortly after, Damon drove back to the boarding house. Stefan had probably gone to stay with Jeremy to make sure he was safe. I respected Stefan for watching out for my brother when I couldn't. In a way, Stefan was always protective over Jeremy, acting as if he was the older brother. We entered Damon's room and I sat down on the bed. "I'll give you some privacy. I know you need to think about moving in with me." he told me, making his way toward the door. So he _was_ implying that he wanted me to move in. "Damon," I paused as he turned and faced me. "I'll move in with you."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 ****– The Power of Love**

"Why are you staying with him?" Jeremy asked me. To think that it would be easier to tell my brother and Matt that I was moving in with Damon was a terrible mistake. I should've told Bonnie and Caroline first, maybe Stefan too. "Jer, at least try and be supportive." I told him as he rolled his eyes. I looked at Matt to hear what he had to say, but he hadn't said a word since I told them the news. "Thanks for being real supportive guys." I grabbed my stuff and was about to walk out the door when Matt approached me. "Sorry for being such a jerk Elena, but I have to agree with Jeremy on this one. What if Damon's just toying with your emotions?" he asked. "Do you think he really loves you?" I was a bit surprised Matt had asked me that. Before, Matt didn't want anything to do with the Salvatore brothers and vice versa. I guess Matt was just concerned about me. I enjoyed having Matt around as a friend to confide in if Bonnie and Caroline weren't around.

"I think he does. I just don't want to get my hopes up Matt." I told him as he nodded, and then I hugged him. "Thank you for being supportive. I really appreciate it." I pulled away, giving him a smile and walked out of the grill. I got in my car and drove back down the street to Caroline's house. I tried searching for Stefan, but he was nowhere to be found. I wonder if he's hiding from me. I thought as I pulled up in front of Caroline's house. The door opened after I rang the door bell. "Hey Elena, what are you doing here?" Caroline asked me and I sensed that Stefan was inside the house. I dare not ask her if I could come in. "I came to tell you what you need to know about Damon and I." I said as she asked if I wanted to come in. I shook my head and continued to tell her that I moved in with Damon. Her reaction when I said that was priceless. She told me, "Do you think he loves you?"

She was the second person to ask me the question whether Damon loves me or not. I bid her good bye and proceeded onto Bonnie's house. Bonnie had the same reaction and ask the same question. What is it about people asking me if Damon loves me? Of course he does, doesn't he? I too wondered if Damon's feelings were truly real. I thought about what he said last night that those feelings between us were real for him, and yet, he has never said the words: 'I love you.' I haven't said those to him because I'm not ready. I drove back to the Salvatore house and entered the house. "Welcome back babe." Damon greeted me at the door with a kiss on the lips, then handed me a glass of blood. I loved how sweet he was being, but was this all an act? "Damon, do you love me?" I asked him. He looked at me, blinking and acted as if he didn't hear what I said. I repeated my question once again and hesitantly turned away from me. "I ask because I love you Damon." I said.

I quickly drank from the glass, finishing it and set it down on the table. When he didn't reply, I turned and walked down the hallway towards the stairs. "Elena," He grabbed my arm, catching up to me. "Do you really mean it?" he asked. I simply nodded and looked into his eyes, trying to read his mind. "I love you Elena." He said. For a split second, my heart had stopped beating. I wanted to hear him say those words again. "I love you Elena and I mean it." That was all I needed to hear and I kissed his lips, wrapping my arms around his neck. I felt his arms wrap around my body, and suddenly the kiss became more passionate. The next morning I awoke to the sight of his blue eyes gazing at me. "Good morning." He smiled. "Last night was incredible." He kissed my lips and I simply smiled as he pulled away. I reached up and caressed his cheek as I faced him. "I love waking up next to you." I said as he caressed my cheek. "Me too." He said. I kissed him once again, getting on top of him. I heard a knock at the door and quickly got off of Damon to open it. "Am I interrupting something?" Stefan asked, glancing over my shoulder at Damon. "No, of course not brother." Damon answered.

I stepped aside as Stefan entered the room. "Caroline's downstairs." Stefan said as I picked up Damon's shirt and left the two brother's to talk. I buttoned up Damon's shirt and entered the living room to see Caroline pouring herself a drink. "Want a drink?" she asked, holding out a glass to me. "Should I be asking you that?" I smirked, grabbing the glass from her as I sat down on one of the chairs. She poured herself a glass and sat down on the couch. "So, did Damon tell you he loves you?" she asked as I shrugged. She gave me a look and I knew I had to surrender. "Yes, he did." I replied and took a sip of my drink. "Why are you and Stefan always together? I know he was at your house yesterday." This time she was hesitant to answer. I don't think I'd be jealous of Caroline if she were dating Stefan; I mean after all, I dated Stefan first. "We're just friends Elena." She said, taking a large gulp from her drink. She was lying which meant she was hiding something from me, but what?

Damon and Stefan entered the living room. Damon sat on the armrest of the chair I was sitting in and Stefan sat on the couch with Caroline. "What's the deal between you and Caroline?" I asked Stefan as he looked at Damon before looking at me. I wanted to know what was going on. Were they together? "We're just friends Elena." Stefan said. It seems like you two are more than friends. I thought silently in my head. "Tell her what you told me Stefan." Damon said. So Stefan had told Damon about him and Caroline. What was it that Caroline and Stefan didn't want to tell me? As the silence continued on, I became more and more anxious to know what the answer was. "The reason why Stefan was at my house yesterday was because you moved in with Damon. He wanted to give you two some privacy; and I know you know that Elena. Also," Caroline paused. "I like Stefan. Now I know what you're going to say, but please don't be mad.

"Look, it's not like I was waiting for you and Damon to be together because I really wasn't. Usually my mom doesn't like half the guys that I like, or date but she likes Stefan and she's giving him a chance to date me." I looked at Stefan and gave him a 'is-that-really-true?' look. He nodded, answering my question. I couldn't believe it. My best friend and my ex are dating, but I was sort of dating Caroline's ex—Damon—so it was only fair that I shouldn't be mad at her. "Stefan's a good guy Caroline. He's a keeper." I smiled.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 – Elena's Dream**

Waking up next to Damon was something that I had to get used to. Just seeing his bright smiling face gazing at me always made my day. Even my friends had noticed that something in me was changing. I was better person with Damon. "Good morning Elena." Damon smiled at me as he gave me a kiss on the lips. "Good morning Damon." I smiled when he pulled away. I got out of bed, deciding to take a shower and went into Damon's bathroom. I closed the door behind me, took off my clothes, and got into the shower. I immediately rolled my eyes when I felt Damon behind me. "I can't take a shower alone either?" I faced him, raising an eyebrow. His eyes glanced down at my body, then met my gaze. His eyes said all as he leaned in and kissed my lips. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close to him and deepened the kiss even more.

Once I was finally dressed, I opened the door and was met with Stefan. "Hey." I smiled and he smiled. "Going to school today?" he asked as I nodded. I walked out the door and turned before going to my car. "Are you going?" I asked him. "I'll see you in class." He said as I got in my car and drove to the school. I drove to the school, parking my car in the parking lot, and entered the school. "Decided to go to school today Elena?" Bonnie asked me as I nodded. "Yep. I figured I should enjoy the last year of my high school life." I told her with a smile. "Where's Caroline?" I asked her as we sat down in our seats. Usually we'd find Caroline in the hallways planning our next big decade dance. "Probably with Stefan." She answered as I nodded. Oh that's right. Caroline and Stefan were together.

Stefan entered the classroom and sat down in his seat just before the last minute bell rang. Class was still boring and felt dreadfully long. Lunch finally came and I sat with Bonnie. Caroline and Stefan sat at a different table. "I guess Caroline finally got what she wanted." Bonnie said. Matt came over and joined us. "So Caroline's dating Stefan now?" Matt asked as I picked at my food. "It gives them a chance to know each other better." I said. "So prom is coming up." Caroline sat down beside me as Stefan sat beside Bonnie. "Who are you taking?" she asked. "I don't know." I said, then picked up my tray and threw the food into the trash can.

Never thought that the Salvatore boarding house would be my home. I felt more comfortable here than at my own house. "How was school?" Damon asked me as he handed me a glass of blood. I took it and drank, then gave it back to him. "It was good." I said, sitting down on the couch. Damon sat next to me and I leaned into him as he put his arm around me. I had forgotten about prom and figured that it would be best if I didn't go. "Caroline asked me about prom." I sat up and played with my fingers. Damon took my hand as I looked at him. "I'll be your date." He said. He sounded like he was willing to be my date. He kissed my lips and I kissed him back.

Prom had finally come and the theme was the 80s. Damon and I entered the gym as Bonnie walked up to us. "Glad you could make it." Bonnie smiled, giving me a hug as I hugged her back. "It's prom. I wouldn't miss it for the world." I smiled as we pulled away. We continued talking before Damon pulled me onto the dance floor to dance with him. I wasn't surprised at all and I was completely enjoying myself with Damon. It's as if I didn't have to try to have fun with him. Shortly after, the prom nominees were called to the stage and we clapped for the winners, then they had a Prom King and Queen dance. Damon took me outside into the hallway so that we could be alone. "Having fun?" he asked as I smiled, nodding. "I'm having a lot of fun, especially when you're here." He smiled as he gave me a kiss on the lips and I wrapped my arms around his neck. His arms wrapped around my body, pulling me close to him. He pulled away for a short moment, only to whisper in my ear and say, "Let's get out of here."

I took his hand and let him lead me out of the school. I never knew being with Damon would be fun and yet romantic all at the same time. I never seemed to take him for that kind of guy before. We arrived at the Salvatore boarding house and went up to his room. After changing our clothes, we got in bed and I cuddled up next to him. "Thank you Damon." I said, letting out a yawn as I closed my eyes. "For what?" he asked me. I felt his arms wrap around me, feeling safe. "For everything." Soon after I drifted off to sleep.

_Where am I?_ I asked myself as I walked down a narrow hallway. It was dark and there was light coming from the other end. As soon as I stepped into the light, I found myself in an unfamiliar place. There were a lot of trees and a large house. _Could it be?_ I walked towards the house to enter another room. I came face to face with a man. It was Damon. "Glad you could make it. You're just in time." He smiled, holding a hand out to me. I find myself taking his hand as he led me into a grand ballroom.

I awoke as my dream ended, only to find Damon gone. What was that dream about? I shook the thought out of my head, but yet the thoughts flooded back into my mind. I headed downstairs and entered the living room. Damon wasn't there either. At this rate, I began panicking as I looked throughout the whole entire house for him. Eventually I gave up my search and went back into his room, then got in bed. I started to think about my dream. The words Damon had said to me in the dream. Was it foreshadowing something? I couldn't be so sure. I wasn't going to get my hopes up, not yet. I laid back down in bed and closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep once more. When I awoke again, I heard the door open and close. I quickly went downstairs and was met with Damon. "Hey." I said, greeting him. "Hey." He said. He didn't sound like himself as he passed by me, heading into the living room.

I wasn't sure whether to ask him about where he had gone to. I was still contemplating whether or not I should tell him about my dream. I might as well keep it to myself for now. I thought and sat down next to Damon on the couch. "I'm sorry I had to leave early. I hope you weren't too worried about me." he said. Of course I was worried about you. I practically panicked knowing that you were gone. "It's okay. You had to do whatever needed to be done. I understand." I told him, trying my best to sound calm. "Is everything alright?" I should be asking him that. I nodded and he gave me a look. I knew he wouldn't believe me. "I had a dream about you last night." I said. He turned, facing me and it was to show that he was interested. I continued telling him about the dream; about where I was and who was in it. "So you have no idea what you were in time for?" he asked me as I shook my head. He looked away for a moment as if deep in thought. I wondered if he had already interpreted the dream faster than I did. I silently laughed at the idea. "You know what, it doesn't even matter now. What matters is that you're here." I smiled and kissed his lips.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 - Where Do We Stand?**

"What do you guys think the dream means?" I asked my friends. Bonnie, Caroline, and I were at Mystic Grill. I had just told them about the dream I had with Damon in it. "What did he say?" Caroline asked. "He didn't say anything." I said. Bonnie and Caroline looked at each other, exchanging looks as if they were keeping something from me. "Well, here's what I think - you and Damon are meant to have a future together." she smiled.

I shook my head slightly, thinking that she was crazy. "Caroline, I'm still in high school." I told her. "I can't think about my future right now, except for graduating high school and possibly going to college. Speaking of college, what college am I going to? My life... my life is over."

Caroline sighed, "You're being over dramatic Elena. Maybe you need a drink."

"She doesn't need a drink Care." Bonnie said, walking over to me and gave me a hug. "Thanks, I really needed it." I told her, hugging her back. "Well, you might as well confront Damon about your current situation with that dream of yours." Caroline said. Bonnie and I pulled away from our hug as I nodded in agreement.

"I guess you're right. I should go and talk to him. I'll see you guys at school tomorrow." I said, grabbing my bag and jacket, and walked out of Mystic Grill. I drove down to the Salvatore boarding house, parking my car in the driveway. I got out of the car and set my bag down on the chair near the entrance of the living room. "How was your day?" Damon asked me as I plopped down on the couch.

Damon sneaking up on me finally got old, even as a vampire. "Exhausting." I said as he handed me a glass of blood. I was thankful for having Damon around and my friends, but there were times when I just needed a minute to myself. He sat down next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Tell me about it." he said. I took a sip of the blood and turned to face him. I all ready confronted him about the dream, how was I going to be able to confront him about what Caroline thought?

"I saw Bonnie and Caroline today. I asked them about their take on the dream." I said.

"What did they say?" he asked.

"Caroline believes that you and I have some sort of future together. By future, I mean past graduation and college, like getting married and such." I said. He nodded slowly, and didn't say a single word after that. Here he was sitting in deep thought like the night I told him, and leaving me with no clue what he was thinking. "What's on your mind?" I asked him.

He stood up and began to walk away. I stood up, "Damon. You can't just leave me hanging like this. We have to talk about this." He stopped and turned towards my direction. "I just have to know what you're thinking." I muttered, almost silently.

"What I'm thinking is that Caroline may be right Elena." he said. "But I know you want to experience college and I'm going to give you the full experience. You and I..." He walked up to me, then reached up to caress my cheek. "We're going to get through this together and it doesn't matter what anyone says, just as long as we have each other." I leaned in and kissed his lips, then pulled away.

"I love you Elena, and I'm not going to leave you. You have to know that." he said. I nodded and then finished my glass, setting it down on the table. The door to the boarding house opened and closed as Caroline entered. "Hey Elena, I have an idea!" she beamed, walking up to me. She glanced at Damon who backed away, but maintained a good eye distance between us. "Okay...?" I asked her.

"Graduation is coming up in a few weeks, and I was thinking we should have a grad party here at your place." she smiled. My place? I asked myself, but I'm guessing the look on my face was more obvious than I thought. "It's going to be so much fun! It's our last final day in high school, and I figured that we go out with a bang. I even have a guest list set up and everything." she said.

I glanced towards Damon's direction whose face seemed unreadable. "Did you talk to Stefan?" I asked. She laughed a bit. "Why would I talk to Stefan? It's your house, not his." she said. I motioned over towards Damon's direction as she shrugged. "I'm sure it's okay with him."

"I'd be even more grateful if you'd ask Caroline." Damon said.

Caroline rolled her eyes. No matter what, she was going to get her way. Damon and I weren't going to let her have a party at the boarding house. "Give us at least time to talk it over Care." I said. She sighed, "Fine. I'll give you until the end of this week." With that statement, she left Damon and I alone. Damon walked back over to me and asked, "You're not going to go through with this, are you?"

"It's Caroline we're talking about." I answered. "I don't even want a party."

"Why's that?" he asked.

I smirked, "I just want to spend time with my sexy vampire boyfriend." Damon grinned and kissed my lips as I happily kissed him back. He scooped me up in his arms and then took me upstairs, closing the door behind us. He set me down on the bed and got on top of me, kissing my lips. "I loved you." he smiled when he pulled away for a moment. "I love you too." I smiled, kissing him once more.

...

Graduation was finally here and of course, Caroline had gotten her way and we were having a grad party at the Salvatore boarding house. I looked at myself in the mirror, wearing the red cap and gown. I couldn't believe that this day had finally arrived. I was graduating high school as a vampire. Damon entered bedroom, leaning against the wall with a glass of bourbon in his hand. "You look beautiful. Can't wait to see what you're wearing underneath." he smirked, finishing the glass and setting it down on the night stand.

I rolled my eyes and turned around to face him while he made his way towards my direction. "Just breathe, you'll be fine." he said. I took a deep breath and then nodded. We went downstairs and got into his car, then drove down to the high school where the ceremony was being held at. I have never felt so nervous in my entire life before. As soon as I got out of the car, I was greeted by all of my friends - Caroline, Bonnie, Tyler, Matt, and Stefan. We all gave each other a group hug, and suddenly the tears came.

"I cannot believe we're graduating." Caroline smiled.

"Who knew that we would finally get to share this moment together?" Matt asked.

"I've waited four years for this." Tyler said.

After the ceremony ended and we all moved our tassels from the left to the right, we tossed our hats into the air. Before I made my way over to Damon, I saw Stefan standing near his car in the parking lot with his hands in his pockets. I walked over to him and smiled, "Hey Stefan. We finally graduated."

"Yeah." he said. I sensed that something was wrong, but I was afraid to ask him any more questions. "Are you coming to the grad party?" I asked him.

"I'll see you later Elena." he said, then got in his car. I watched him back out of the parking lot and then drive away. "What's his problem?" Damon asked, walking up to me as I just shrugged. He and I walked back to his car, and then got in. We arrived at the Salvatore boarding house and Caroline was there waiting for us.

As soon as we walked up to her she told us that she brought some supplies for the grad party. Oh boy. I thought to myself. Knowing Caroline, everything must be put in a specific place. Tyler, Matt, Bonnie, and even Jeremy stopped by to help us with the decorations. While putting up decorations, my mind was still on Stefan. We hadn't spoken in a long time and I hate the idea of losing him as a friend.

I went upstairs and dialed Stefan's number. It rang at least twice before he picked up and answered. "Hello?"

"Stefan, before you hang up, I want to just ask you about earlier. Is everything okay?" I asked him.

"Everything's fine."

"Everything doesn't sound find. Stefan, I need you to talk to me."

"Caroline and I broke up."

"That's why you're not going to the party?"

"Good bye Elena."

"Stefan-" Before I could speak any further, I was left with a dial tone. I sighed, putting my phone back into my pocket. The news of Caroline and Stefan breaking up hadn't fully set in yet. I went back downstairs and grabbed a glass full of beer, then took a sip. "Thought we were going to keep this party alcohol free." Damon said about to take the cup away from my hands, but I resisted by pulling the cup from his grasp. "I really need a drink Damon." I said, finishing the beer and handing it back to him. The only question in my mind was where did Stefan and I stand? Were we still friends? Or were we not friends? I wondered to myself if I should just leave and go see Stefan, wherever he may be. I grabbed a few more drinks, knowing that Damon would disapprove but I didn't care, and danced with my friends who were all having fun. I wasn't going to let one question get the best of me, or was I?


End file.
